Loyal Greyhounds secure conference championship

By Harry Toufar After wins against Neillsville-Granton and Spencer in the last week, the Loyal Greyhounds varsity baseball secured their spot at the top of the Eastern Cloverbelt Conference, giving them some satisfaction and confidence as they head into postseason play on Tuesday.

Conference championship in sight The Greyhounds traveled to Neillsville on Thursday to take on the Neillsville-Granton Warriors. With a win, the Greyhounds would clinch a share of the Eastern Cloverbelt Conference championship. A loss would complicate that scenario, as they would then have to beat Spencer on Friday and beat Neillsville-Granton the following Tuesday.

On paper, it was shaping up as a pitching duel between the Warriors’ Andrew Hoeser and Loyal’s Rhett Lamovec. The Greyhounds put that notion to rest as they exploded for seven runs in the second inning. Colten Sandelier led off by drawing a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Hunter Walter also walked and both runners advanced on another wild pitch. Sandelier came home on a second passed ball by the catcher. Walter moved over to third.

After a Loyal out, Jonah Vircks hit a high chopper toward third. Walter broke for home, but stopped. The third baseman, thinking Walter was running, threw high to home for an error. Vircks took second on the play. With Rogan Ashbeck batting, the catcher committed another passed ball, allowing Walter to come in to score. Vircks moved over to third. Following a walk to Ashbeck, Reed Stieglitz hit a ground ball that was bobbled by the shortstop, allowing Vircks to score. Adam Kautzer grounded out to third as the runners moved up. Cain Toufar hit a high fly ball that eluded the right fielder.

When the dust settled, Toufar was standing on third with a 2 RBI triple. Lamovec followed with a line drive double that plated Toufar. Sandelier, batting for the second time, lined a double to center, scoring Lamovec.

Things were not going the Warriors’ way, to say the least. They thought they had a third out when Walter grounded out. The out call was appealed by Loyal. The home plate umpire ruled him safe, as the first baseman pulled his foot off the bag. The Warrior defense was charged with three wild pitches, three walks, two passed balls, and two errors in the inning.

The Hounds tacked on two more in the fourth inning. Toufar was hit by a pitch, Lamovec walked, and Tryn Scheel drew a two-out walk. Vircks doubled, driving in two runs.

In the fifth inning, Ashbeck walked, scoring on Stieglitz’s triple. Lamovec reached on an error. The Warriors, on the brink of losing by the 10-run rule, stayed alive by scoring two in the bottom of the inning. Loyal, showing some resiliency, scored twice in the top of the sixth. Sandelier and Walter both singled. Scheel reached on an error to load the bases. Vircks hit into a force out at home, but the catcher’s throw was wild to first, allowing two runs to score. Preston Berg led off the bottom of the sixth with a walk. He was advanced to third with nobody out. Afly to right was not deep enough to allow him to score. Andy Petkovsek relieved Lamovec and got the next two batters to fly out to short. That finished Neillsville-Granton’s scoring chances and gave Loyal the 13-3 win. With that, the Greyhounds had clinched at least a tie for the conference championship.

Lamovec threw five-and-a-third innings, giving up four hits, three runs (two were unearned), striking out six, and walking one. He also hit one batter.

Leading Loyal in hitting was Lamovec, going 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs. Toufar was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs. Sandelier was 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run. Walter was 2-for-3 with two runs. Vircks was 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Stieglitz was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs.

Loyal Greyhounds secure conference championship On Friday, Loyal made the trip up Highway 98 to take on the Spencer Rockets, in pursuit of sole possession of the Eastern Cloverbelt championship.

The Hounds shot out of the chutes soon after the umpire called, “Play ball.” Kautzer led off the game with a single. Toufar moved him over to third with a scorching base hit down the left field line. Both runners executed the double steal to perfection, as Toufar was safe at second and Kautzer came in to score. Lamovec reached on an error with Toufar advancing to third. Sandelier brought in Toufar with a sacrifice fly. Scheel hit into a fielder’s choice, scoring Lamovec.

Stieglitz led off the second inning by drawing a walk. One out later, he scored on a Toufar double. Spencer scored their only run in the bottom of the second inning after two outs. Drake Johnson reached on a error, eventually scoring on a Madden Prybylski single.

The Hounds would strike again in the third inning. Sandelier and Walter both walked, scoring later on a Vircks single. Leading 6-1 in the top of the fourth, the Hounds tacked on four more runs. Kautzer

Please see Loyal Greyhounds, page 19

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